Frankfurt Main Hbf - Pickpockets

[DeverseSam]

he had been robbed of his wallet and left penniless and needed money for a ticket to Friedrichshafen where he lived.

Alternatively he could have boarded the train and explained the situation to be invoiced later

 

[sheff1]

I found out afterwards that I could have advised him to go to the "Bahnhofsmission", which is a church-run organisation that helps people in any kind of need. They have an office at most major stations across Germany. .

Bahnhofsmission brings back memories. Many years ago I arrived at Kassel Hbf early on a Sunday morning. Back then large stations in Germany had Currency Exchange offices open 7 days a week but, to my surprise, the one in Kassel closed on Sunday. Looking around for someone to ask about an alternative I spotted the Bahnhofsmission which claimed to offer help so I entered and asked the only occupant, a fairly elderly man, if he knew where I could change my £s, drawing himself up to his full height he said "I am a German citizen, why would I want English pounds" and stepped towards me so I beat a retreat and have never set foot in one of those places again - by far the unfriendliest encounter I have had in that country, or most others for that matter.

Back to the OP, Frankfurt Hbf and the immediate surrounds was certainly the dodgiest-feeling German station I encountered in my widespread travels in the country in the 70s/80s and sounds like, if anything, it has got worse - haven't been through myself in recent times.

 

[Citybreak1]

I was pick pocketed for my phone in Brussels. I will now take cheap headphones and a cheap old iPhone on holiday so this doesn’t happen again or atleast they won’t get much of my personal stuff

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Jun 2024 ==

For future reference were is the worst Paris Brussels and Barcelona?

 

[johnnychips]

I have never felt unsafe anywhere in Barcelona. There certainly are pickpockets, but beggars, aggressive or not, are rare. They seem to have clamped down on ‘tissue vendors’ on trains, though there are still many noisy buskers.

The area around Napoli Cantrale seems somewhat seedy, though again I’ve never been approached. What you do get are teenage boys offering to help you buy tickets, and they expect a tip if you use them.

 

[Zamracene749]

Bahnhofsmission brings back memories. Many years ago I arrived at Kassel Hbf early on a Sunday morning. Back then large stations in Germany had Currency Exchange offices open 7 days a week but, to my surprise, the one in Kassel closed on Sunday. Looking around for someone to ask about an alternative I spotted the Bahnhofsmission which claimed to offer help so I entered and asked the only occupant, a fairly elderly man, if he knew where I could change my £s, drawing himself up to his full height he said "I am a German citizen, why would I want English pounds" and stepped towards me. Former Nazi Party member was my thought as I beat a retreat and have never set foot in one of those places again - by far the unfriendliest encounter I have had in that country, or most others for that matter.

Back to the OP, Frankfurt Hbf and the immediate surrounds, was by far the dodgiest-feeling German station I encountered in my widespread travels in the country in the 70s/80s and sounds like, if anything, it has got worse - haven't been through myself in recent times.

I used to visit my kids in Germany regularly around 20 years ago. As part of the travel, I've had a bier or three in bars outside Hamburg Hbf at midnight, Bremen, Hannover, Munich back when it was alcoholic central, Nuremburg, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Koln, Bonn amongst others.
Frankfurt is the first place I've been appalled by. Ive wandered outside and drunk in dodgy bars near Gare du Nord (Paris and Bucuresti), Budapest Keleti, Oradea, Bratislava, Kosice, Ostrava, Amsterdam, Riga, Katowice when it was still a bit edgy, Barcelona and had beers in seedy bars in Liege and yes, Bruxelles Midi. 1990s Kings cross, Hull, Birmingham, Plymouth, Brixton before it got done up, Tower hamlets, Croydon, Motherwell, Oldham, Bradford etc etc. Plus of course every part of the North East of England including flat roofed pubs in the east and west end of Newcastle, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Stockton et al.
Never felt like I did outside Frankfurt Hbf two weeks ago, I was actually considering carrying a weapon for the 1st time in my life (in the end I made sure I had a beer bottle in hand).

 

[Citybreak1]

I have never felt unsafe anywhere in Barcelona. There certainly are pickpockets, but beggars, aggressive or not, are rare. They seem to have clamped down on ‘tissue vendors’ on trains, though there are still many noisy buskers.

The area around Napoli Cantrale seems somewhat seedy, though again I’ve never been approached. What you do get are teenage boys offering to help you buy tickets, and they expect a tip if you use them.

I had a few in France chased me round wanting money I had to walk away. Personally despite the culture I feel Holland is safer. Amsterdam is a very vibrant city.

 

[ABB125]

The only place abroad that I can remember being approached by beggars is at Vienna Hbf (multiple times - possibly because I seem to end up there at some point on every Interrail trip I do!). My usual tactic to deal with the situation is to walk away whilst speaking some reasonably coherent Swedish (or sometimes complete gibberish, depends what mood I'm in!), pretending that I don't understand English (or German). The chance of the beggar recognising what language I'm speaking, let alone being conversant in it themselves, is minute.

 

[iknowyeah]

Leaving Frankfurt recently at around 0800 I noticed a man at the end of the platform urinating and waving his "tackle" at the train as it departed. I didn't find the immediate outside of the station too intimidating however it was a Saturday night when I got there and the bar outside seemed to be full of quite well to do and fashionable youngish people, so maybe something was on that evening

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jun 2024 ==

I used to be an IT manager for a company which often sent staff all over Europe to conferences, etc. One of my many duties was to assist with claims for stolen laptops and I only had to do that three times for staff travelling abroad - in each of those three cases the staff members concerned were relieved of their laptops at Gare du Nord.

The only place in all of Europe I've travelled where I've had an attempt made to pickpocket me outside of a big tourist area was Gare du Nord, but luckily all I had in the outside pocket was my toothbrush and razor, and was alerted to it by a friendly local.

The other place was Barcelona on one of the markets by Las Ramblas as a naive young football fan, but felt his hand in my pocket so a swift elbow out let him know I felt it and they probably realised football fans full of beer weren't the best targets...

 

[AlbertBeale]

Leaving Frankfurt recently at around 0800 I noticed a man at the end of the platform urinating and waving his "tackle" at the train as it departed. I didn't find the immediate outside of the station too intimidating however it was a Saturday night when I got there and the bar outside seemed to be full of quite well to do and fashionable youngish people, so maybe something was on that evening

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jun 2024 ==


The only place in all of Europe I've travelled where I've had an attempt made to pickpocket me outside of a big tourist area was Gare du Nord, but luckily all I had in the outside pocket was my toothbrush and razor, and was alerted to it by a friendly local.

The other place was Barcelona on one of the markets by Las Ramblas as a naive young football fan, but felt his hand in my pocket so a swift elbow out let him know I felt it and they probably realised football fans full of beer weren't the best targets...

I think I've only ever had anyone stealing from me - or trying to - when travelling abroad 3 times in nearly 60 years. One such, of course, was at the Gare du Nord.

Far outnumbered by the many many occasions when I've been "accosted" (while minding my own business browsing a timetable or whatever, while waiting for my train) by someone wanting to ask me for travel information - frequently somewhere I barely speak the language and have never been to before, and they're usually a "local"! I resist the suggestion that I look like a railway anorak; but it's become a standing joke with a friend I often travel with, who's rarely been on an overseas trip with me where it hasn't happened at least once at some stage. It's much rarer that it happens to me in Britain, unless I see a struggling tourist on the tube and actively offer advice.

 

[iknowyeah]

I think I've only ever had anyone stealing from me - or trying to - when travelling abroad 3 times in nearly 60 years. One such, of course, was at the Gare du Nord.

Far outnumbered by the many many occasions when I've been "accosted" (while minding my own business browsing a timetable or whatever, while waiting for my train) by someone wanting to ask me for travel information - frequently somewhere I barely speak the language and have never been to before, and they're usually a "local"! I resist the suggestion that I look like a railway anorak; but it's become a standing joke with a friend I often travel with, who's rarely been on an overseas trip with me where it hasn't happened at least once at some stage. It's much rarer that it happens to me in Britain, unless I see a struggling tourist on the tube and actively offer advice.

This once happened to me at a tram stop in Oostende. Luckily I'd made myself familiar with the tram network and speak a tiny bit of Dutch!

 

[duesselmartin]

I used to visit my kids in Germany regularly around 20 years ago. As part of the travel, I've had a bier or three in bars outside Hamburg Hbf at midnight, Bremen, Hannover, Munich back when it was alcoholic central, Nuremburg, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Koln, Bonn amongst others.
Frankfurt is the first place I've been appalled by. Ive wandered outside and drunk in dodgy bars near Gare du Nord (Paris and Bucuresti), Budapest Keleti, Oradea, Bratislava, Kosice, Ostrava, Amsterdam, Riga, Katowice when it was still a bit edgy, Barcelona and had beers in seedy bars in Liege and yes, Bruxelles Midi. 1990s Kings cross, Hull, Birmingham, Plymouth, Brixton before it got done up, Tower hamlets, Croydon, Motherwell, Oldham, Bradford etc etc. Plus of course every part of the North East of England including flat roofed pubs in the east and west end of Newcastle, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Stockton et al.
Never felt like I did outside Frankfurt Hbf two weeks ago, I was actually considering carrying a weapon for the 1st time in my life (in the end I made sure I had a beer bottle in hand).

The beer bottle might be the reason to get mugged in Frankfurt

 

[Bletchleyite]

The other place was Barcelona on one of the markets by Las Ramblas as a naive young football fan, but felt his hand in my pocket so a swift elbow out let him know I felt it and they probably realised football fans full of beer weren't the best targets...

La Rambla* is so bad that one wonders if the police are in on the pickpocketing. It's inadvisable to walk down there without your hands in your pockets to ensure they can't get to anything.

* Should probably write it in the native Catalan language rather than Spanish

 

[Capybara]

Far outnumbered by the many many occasions when I've been "accosted" (while minding my own business browsing a timetable or whatever, while waiting for my train) by someone wanting to ask me for travel information - frequently somewhere I barely speak the language and have never been to before, and they're usually a "local"! I resist the suggestion that I look like a railway anorak; but it's become a standing joke with a friend I often travel with, who's rarely been on an overseas trip with me where it hasn't happened at least once at some stage. It's much rarer that it happens to me in Britain, unless I see a struggling tourist on the tube and actively offer advice.

I share this superpower, though it extends to the UK as well. I can almost guarantee that within minutes of arriving somewhere new I'll be stopped and asked for directions or travel information.

 

[Beebman]

The only place abroad that I can remember being approached by beggars is at Vienna Hbf (multiple times - possibly because I seem to end up there at some point on every Interrail trip I do!). My usual tactic to deal with the situation is to walk away whilst speaking some reasonably coherent Swedish (or sometimes complete gibberish, depends what mood I'm in!), pretending that I don't understand English (or German). The chance of the beggar recognising what language I'm speaking, let alone being conversant in it themselves, is minute.

In 2022 I did an Interrail trip across 9 different countries (including returning to the UK via the Gare du Nord) and the only time I had any problems with beggars was in Vienna.

I share this superpower, though it extends to the UK as well. I can almost guarantee that within minutes of arriving somewhere new I'll be stopped and asked for directions or travel information.

Only last week I visited Montreal for the first time ever. On my first day there riding on the Metro I was asked three times in French (which fortunately I can speak quite well) for help with directions.

 

[nwales58]

These anecdotes are very useful to keep us all aware but ... how many instances of actual or attempted theft have people experienced? Probably very few compared to perceived risk.

In my case it is 1 actual theft in a London cafe, 1 attempted on Madrid metro and 1 attempted in Casablanca on the street. That is in *over 55* years of travelling, tourism and work, Europe, N Africa and a few riskier capitals.

So my advice is don't sit down at closely-packed tables in London cafes.

 

[Zamracene749]

The beer bottle might be the reason to get mugged in Frankfurt

Fair point - so long as its empty they're welcome to it

 

[Grumpy Git]

A collegue travelling from whichever Paris railway station serves Frankfurt, was waiting to depart when a group of youths sat down in the seats opposite after putting their bags in the overheads.

Just before departure, they got up and left. He glanced up to check his rucksak was safe and thought no more about it.......

They'd stolen his rucksack with all his belongings and laptop and left an empty rucksack in its place.

 

[zero]

Far outnumbered by the many many occasions when I've been "accosted" (while minding my own business browsing a timetable or whatever, while waiting for my train) by someone wanting to ask me for travel information - frequently somewhere I barely speak the language and have never been to before, and they're usually a "local"!

My Hungarian friend got "accosted" by an elderly Swiss woman in Zurich HB who asked him a question in Swiss German. Unless he completely misunderstood the dialect, as far as he knew he answered her question correctly in (bad) standard German, to which the woman's response was "You're not Swiss!" and she walked off without another word.

I was in Frankfurt Hbf in 2022 at 3am and I didn't get any bad feelings.

The only two times I've felt unsafe in Europe (incl UK) was when I was racially abused on a train near Middlesborough and on the Paris RER when certain types of people looking for tourists to rob/scam would not leave me alone - I escaped (off the train onto the platform) by squeezing through the doors as they were about to close leaving the unsavoury people on the train.

 

[Citybreak1]

So in Brussels I never even noticed my phone go? Advice don’t go on a busy metro and hold onto the hand rails. My phone was switched off in minutes I assume SIM card was snapped and my iPhone turned off not sure if I don’t this or thief. For years I’ve been warned about Brussels midi but really the taxi rank is dodgy, walking is dodgy as is metro. The docks area and Grand Place is quite nice but much of midi is not great. I find Paris exactly same. Rotterdam seems all redeveloped which seems a bit safer. My verdict is maybe they need full renovations of both Paris and Brussels? Been talked about for years?

 

[duesselmartin]

Reading this, one does notice an undertone that stations like Frankfurt, Bruxelles-Midi or Paris Nord are very dangerous. Fact is I have been there very often and with a sensible amount of precaution you are fine.
Personally I found Milano Centrale or Roma Termini or even Dublin Connolly much more concerning but also here again, with common sense and precaution you are fine.

Yes, it is sad that our stations are not as safe and clean as they should be (unlike most airports) but that is also because they are not overburdend with security.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The first thing anyone should do when they buy a new coat or jacket is have zips put on all the pockets.

That straight away reduces the risk considerably.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Reading this, one does notice an undertone that stations like Frankfurt, Bruxelles-Midi or Paris Nord are very dangerous. Fact is I have been there very often and with a sensible amount of precaution you are fine.
Personally I found Milano Centrale or Roma Termini or even Dublin Connolly much more concerning but also here again, with common sense and precaution you are fine.

There's an issue of some sort at most big-city mainland European main stations. I suspect part of this is because the later arrival of the railways in these countries as against the UK means that the stations are often in crime-ridden inner suburbs rather than being more central as UK ones tend to be.

I certainly feel much less likely to be a victim of crime at a large UK station than most European ones. That said, it's not totally universal - Charing Cross, particularly the toilets, doesn't always feel safe, for example.

 

[Citybreak1]

There's an issue of some sort at most big-city mainland European main stations. I suspect part of this is because the later arrival of the railways in these countries as against the UK means that the stations are often in crime-ridden inner suburbs rather than being more central as UK ones tend to be.

I certainly feel much less likely to be a victim of crime at a large UK station than most European ones. That said, it's not totally universal - Charing Cross, particularly the toilets, doesn't always feel safe, for example.

Interesting take. Stations like Dusseldorf Liege Aachen are all better. The problem lies in major cities. I don’t get why they can’t clean up Brussels Midi? What happened to Paris station being rebuilt?

 

[railfan99]

Stayed there end of may/ early june this year. On top of the area's already mentioned problems, there are building works in the hbf area with some access points closed. It feels like the police and security have relinquished control around there. I'm six foot, I grew up and live in a rough area and am no shrinking violet but I've never been anywhere as dodgy in the UK or Europe, openly aggressive dealers, gangs of lads, open drug taking. Personally, if I return I'll be booking a hotel elsewhere well away from the hbf and city centre. It was that bad.

Brussels seemed similar in October 2023.

However in Frankfurt (staying close to the station) I had no troubles, but in addition to drug users, there were many immigrants on the streets across the tram tracks from the station, who looked as if they were sizing passersby up.

 

[ricohallo]

So my advice is don't sit down at closely-packed tables in London cafes.

Good advice, though not just in London but anywhere. The only case where something got stolen from me was when I was sat outside at a pizzeria in Rome. Backpack under the table pretty much in front of me. A street vendor came along so I kept my eyes on him while his friend probably very sneakily picked up my backpack and left off. Once I noticed it was gone they were nowhere to be found. Only positive thing there was that I didn't have to pay the bill!

 

[signed]

Paris Nord is not exactly a nice area either although I find it’s more inside the station you have to watch there

The area around GdNord and GdEst is by far nicer than the areas nearer to La Chapelle Metro line 2 station, where it is very shady and very unsafe feeling. The other stations are fine, though Montparnasse plaza definitely has issues with beggars.

Pickpockets are mostly a given when a mass of tourist exists

 

[D6130]

The first thing anyone should do when they buy a new coat or jacket is have zips put on all the pockets.

That straight away reduces the risk considerably.

....or - better still - buy a coat or jacket already equipped with zipped pockets. I always travel - in the UK or abroad - in a Rohan sleeveless cargo/freight vest with at least nine different internal and external pockets....all of which are closed either by zips or press studs - or both. They can be worn comfortably over various layers of warm winter - or cool summer clothing.

 

[yorksrob]

There's an issue of some sort at most big-city mainland European main stations. I suspect part of this is because the later arrival of the railways in these countries as against the UK means that the stations are often in crime-ridden inner suburbs rather than being more central as UK ones tend to be.

I certainly feel much less likely to be a victim of crime at a large UK station than most European ones. That said, it's not totally universal - Charing Cross, particularly the toilets, doesn't always feel safe, for example.

Interestingly, it's hard to think of a main line terminal more central than Charing Cross !

 

[Peter Mugridge]

....or - better still - buy a coat or jacket already equipped with zipped pockets. I always travel - in the UK or abroad - in a Rohan sleeveless cargo/freight vest with at least nine different internal and external pockets....all of which are closed either by zips or press studs - or both. They can be worn comfortably over various layers of warm winter - or cool summer clothing.

I do as far as I can, but usually a coat or jacket will either have insufficient pockets in total, or not all will have zips on; usually a combination of both!

Most of the time I end up spending as much on having them modified as I did on buying them in the first place!!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

My one slightly negative experience at Frankfurt-Main Hbf was a very persistent middle-aged female beggar who refused to take Nein for an answer. She even followed me to a coffee kiosk and tried to grab my change as the vendor handed it to me.

Felt a little uneasy at Paris Gares de Austerlitz, Nord, and Lyon but nothing bad happened. Personally didn't find Brussels Midi too bad, but mostly because the dodgy characters stuck out a mile so were easy to avoid! The exit on one side (the one without the tram tracks) seemed far less hostile than the other. Leaving by tram rather than on foot is certainly advisable.